By the end of the Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy), the Lord had redeemed his people Israel out of slavery in Egypt and brought them into a covenant relationship with himself. Moses had led the people during that time, but at the end of his life they still remained outside of the Land of Promise, on the plains of Moab. Now, after 40 years of wandering, Joshua, the “new Moses” is to lead God’s people into the land, take it, and divide it among the tribes of Israel. This was to begin the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, that he would be blessed and Israel would become a great nation, in order that in the future, all of the families of the earth would eventually be blessed.